When Can You Start Bike Riding?

[brookeco 37]

Pre surgery I use to ride my bike 7 miles each way to work.

I had surgery on 9/17 I had a lot of pain in the Incision where they took my stomach out of but that finally went away.

I really hate my doctors office after my last visit and for the safety of others I will not go back to them.

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

Pre surgery I use to ride my bike 7 miles each way to work. surgery 9/17 pain in the Incision where they took my stomach out of but that finally went away. hate my doctors office after my last visit and for the safety of others I will not go back to them.

brookeco

glad to hear you are back in the pink.

one month PO, before exercising, people usually talk to their dr to get the "official" go ahead to exercise. your 7 mile bike "jaunt" work and back - what a wonderful form of exercise that is!!

do you dislike your dr.? or the personnel in the office, or both?

maybe talk to your PCP for advice concerning the bike rides et al. he could be able to advice you, on other things too pertaining to the WLS

if WLS surgeon or PCP can not help you- probably would be ok to start out with those bike trips, but i would start off slowly, no marathons overnight, build up gradually to the point you want to be - whether biking or other excercize

good luck

[Rootman 1,101]

Yes, ask the doc, typical wait can be 6 to 8 weeks. Strain is one thing to watch out for and if you were to take a tumble it could be pretty detrimental. Ask the doc on your next visit.

[brookeco 37]

I got into it with the Nutritionist and I told them that I was upset with how unprofessional she was with me and I was going to let the doctor know and now they won't give my messages to the doctor. It's crazy! I also had a horrible experience at the hospital I had to take out my own iv because they forgot even Though I asked them like 6 times because it was hurting me. I was released then the hospital called my husband at 1am telling him to being me back to the hospital so they can take out my iv. Then the next morning my husband went to fill my Prescriptions and they wrote my pain prescription out wrong so I had no pain meds for an entire day after having Morphine every 4 hours.

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

I got into it with the Nutritionist and I told them that I was upset with how unprofessional she was with me and I was going to let the doctor know and now they won't give my messages to the doctor. It's crazy! I also had a horrible experience at the hospital I had to take out my own iv because they forgot even Though I asked them like 6 times because it was hurting me. I was released then the hospital called my husband at 1am telling him to being me back to the hospital so they can take out my iv. Then the next morning my husband went to fill my Prescriptions and they wrote my pain prescription out wrong so I had no pain meds for an entire day after having Morphine every 4 hours.

brookeco

OMG - i'm sorry you went through such a nightmare with your IV, hospital, pain prescription messed up - not fun - what a disaster

hope you and your bicycle will continue to go uphill now

hope your PCP can help you with info now, or remember - come here with more questions

serious medical questions we can't answer - will advice you to call a dr

but ask us other stuff.............if we can help, here we are

good luck

[brookeco 37]

brookeco

OMG - i'm sorry you went through such a nightmare with your IV' date=' hospital, pain prescription messed up - not fun - what a disaster <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

hope you and your bicycle will continue to go uphill now <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

hope your PCP can help you with info now, or remember - come here with more questions

serious medical questions we can't answer - will advice you to call a dr

but ask us other stuff.............if we can help, here we are <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

good luck[/quote']

Thank you ????

[Butterthebean 8,146]

Glad to see another bicycle commuter on here. I thought I was the only one. I rode to work several times a week for many years. Earlier this year I moved way out of town in the country. It's nice having a few acres but I can no longer ride to work (50 miles). I still ride regularly though. I think I started riding very gingerly about 4 weeks out...maybe 5 miles. Slowly started picking it up at 6 weeks. But I felt great. Listen to your body. Don't push yourself. You will really test those ab muscles cycling so be sure they are healed.

[brookeco 37]

Glad to see another bicycle commuter on here. I thought I was the only one. I rode to work several times a week for many years. Earlier this year I moved way out of town in the country. It's nice having a few acres but I can no longer ride to work (50 miles). I still ride regularly though. I think I started riding very gingerly about 4 weeks out...maybe 5 miles. Slowly started picking it up at 6 weeks. But I felt great. Listen to your body. Don't push yourself. You will really test those ab muscles cycling so be sure they are healed.

I started biking because I hate the subway and the MTA fees keep going up. But now I love watching the sunrise over manhattan and all the Beautiful Scenery you miss when you're too busy trying to catch a train. Hopefully it won't be too cold when I reach my 6 week mark in 2 weeks

[Butterthebean 8,146]

Manhattan...that's awesome. There must be quite a few bike commuters there. Here (Houston), I feel like I'm the only one. When I rode to work, my coworkers thought I was nuts. They could not wrap there minds around the idea of using anything other than a car to get to work. They couldn't wait to tell me how it was just a matter of time before I got killed. Even though I had a very carefully planned route, lights, reflective clothing, and I always ride like I'm invisible. Still, people here don't get it.

How I would love to live in a place where there were enough cyclists that the cars at least had to acknowledge you. Here, the only acknowledgement I get is when they yell and flip me off because I delayed their trip 3 seconds.

And now that I live in the country, there are way less cars, but WAY more dogs. Let me know how the commuting goes once you start back.

[CoolBreeze 154]

Manhattan...that's awesome. There must be quite a few bike commuters there. Here (Houston), I feel like I'm the only one. When I rode to work, my coworkers thought I was nuts. They could not wrap there minds around the idea of using anything other than a car to get to work. They couldn't wait to tell me how it was just a matter of time before I got killed. Even though I had a very carefully planned route, lights, reflective clothing, and I always ride like I'm invisible. Still, people here don't get it.

How I would love to live in a place where there were enough cyclists that the cars at least had to acknowledge you. Here, the only acknowledgement I get is when they yell and flip me off because I delayed their trip 3 seconds.

And now that I live in the country, there are way less cars, but WAY more dogs. Let me know how the commuting goes once you start back.

That sounds awsome. I'm not bike commuter...yet, but that is on my post surgical list of things I would like to do. If it takes around 25-30 minuets on the bus from home I wonder how long it would be on a bike? And interestingly enough it is relatively a straight shot to work (bus doesn't make that many turns). Kinda like the distance from the US Capital to the White House -- straight up and down Pennsylvania Ave.

As a TOTAL beginner bike rider (real soon) what would be your list of things to get - the must haves as well as "ok I want this too". I know the Helmet...but.... take it from there Oh yeah, I'm post op 3 months plus.

[Butterthebean 8,146]

Must haves....

Lights!!! A good headlight is great, even in the daytime. But good flashing taillight is mandatory. More than one is even better. I have one on my bike and one on the back of my helmet. I also have a headlight on the front of my helmet.

The next thing is clothes. Don't try to dress like lance Armstrong. Dress for the weather. If you live in DC I imagine it gets cold. Dress warm enough but also in the lightest most reflective clothes you can find. They make reflective clothing for runners that really works well. If you're gonna ride in the rain, you need clothes for that. In the heat, you need breathable clothing that will dry while you work. I love the play dry reebok stuff, plus they make it in big and tall sizes. Water proof shoes if the roads are wet. When it's warm enough, I ride in tevas.

The other thing you need is a way to carry your stuff...work clothes, lunch, whatever. Back packs work fine, but they get old real quick. They get heavy and hot. Bicycle panniers are great but you need a rack that is made to carry them. Even an old fashion front basket can work.

Other things that you might think about are good gloves (they don't have to be cycling gloves, weight lifting gloves work). Also, you need to learn how to fix a flat and carry the things you need to do it with you. A spare tube or Patches (I hate patches), a small pump or preferably a couple of CO2 cartridges and inflator. Tire levers. And if your wheel bolts on you need a wrench. Most bikes these days not sold at Walmart just use a wheel skewers so you don't need a wrench. Also a good bicycle multitool in case something comes loose.

And a water bottle.

That's all that comes to mind at the moment.

Sorry for the thread jack.

[brookeco 37]

Manhattan...that's awesome. There must be quite a few bike commuters there. Here (Houston)' date=' I feel like I'm the only one. When I rode to work, my coworkers thought I was nuts. They could not wrap there minds around the idea of using anything other than a car to get to work. They couldn't wait to tell me how it was just a matter of time before I got killed. Even though I had a very carefully planned route, lights, reflective clothing, and I always ride like I'm invisible. Still, people here don't get it.

How I would love to live in a place where there were enough cyclists that the cars at least had to acknowledge you. Here, the only acknowledgement I get is when they yell and flip me off because I delayed their trip 3 seconds.

And now that I live in the country, there are way less cars, but WAY more dogs. Let me know how the commuting goes once you start back.[/quote']

Haha well New York is not the place for you. The police have it out of bike riders. This guy last week got $400 bucks in tickets on one stop.They get ticketed as much as cars and cars show you no respect same as people walking. I've kicked many of cabs in the afternoon and I'm always yelling at people in my way. It gets a lot of aggression out. It also helps that I bike at 5:30 in the morning so my ride to work is pretty nice because not a lot of people are out at that time.

[Butterthebean 8,146]

No doubt...I'm thinking Portland is the place for me. Someday....

[abetterme4.2 268]

Woo-hoo.....I found cyclists! I knew if I stuck around for a bit I would come across one or two.

[IsB 209]

My surgeon says we can do anything as soon as we feel up to it. He doesn't like to give timelines for returning to physical activity but obviously you have to use your head. No fighting through the pain no matter how tough you are. Only do what you can do.

I won't be hitting any mountain bike trails soon but I have the road bike all ready to go.